Softball

Softball Sweeps Becker, 8-0 and 8-2

LEICESTER, MA- Sophomore pitcher Brittany Eldridge (Raynham, MA/Bridgewater-Raynham HS) pitched a one-hit shutout and homered in the opener and hurled four scoreless innings in relief in the nightcap to lead the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's softball team to 8-0 and 8-2 wins against host Becker in their non-conference doubleheader at Russell Field Tuesday.

Eldridge went all the way for the win in the first game, giving up only a leadoff double to center fielder Amanda Fogaren in the fifth inning. She did not issue a walk and struck out 14 batters, improving her record to 4-4. Jessica Lewis went all the way and took the loss for the Hawks, falling to 2-7.

Senior right fielder Alyssa Hosforth (Attleboro, MA/Attleboro HS) gave UMass Dartmouth a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the second inning of the opener. Sophomore left fielder Bethany Berube (Dartmouth, MA/Dartmouth HS) scored on an error in the fourth, and sophomore first baseman Kaitlin Hogan (Tewksbury, MA/Shawsheen HS) doubled home a run in the fifth. Eldridge hit a solo homer in the seventh, Berube singled in another run, Hosford drove in a third run with a ground out, freshman shortstop Breanna Marcyoniak (Westfield, MA/Westfield HS) singled home another, and the fifth run scored on a hit by junior center fielder Michelle Conway (Burrillville, RI/Burrillville HS).

In the nightcap, Eldridge relieved Hosford in the fourth inning and yielded two hits over the final four innings. She didn't issue a walk and struck out nine batters. Hogan and senior third baseman Emily Surprenant (Attleboro, MA/Attleboro HS) each had two hits, including a triple, and drove in three runs apiece for the Corsairs. Eldridge improved her record to 5-4, while Paige Needham started and took the loss for Becker, falling to 2-9.

"Brittany had a phenomenal day," said UMass Dartmouth Assistant Coach Donna Poyant. "She was solid the whole first game, and she came in in relief in the second game and shut them down. Her pitches were really moving. Katie Hogan and Emily had nice days at the plate, and Alyssa had three hits in the first game, she had a good day as well. We played solid defense, and these were two big wins to get us back on track."

UMass Dartmouth improved to 7-11 with the sweep, while Becker dropped to 5-15. The Corsairs will return to action when they host Southern Maine Saturday.